September 23, 2017
By Saeed Qureshi
First of all, prime minister Shahid
Khanq Abbasi was dressed up in typical Pakistani national costumes. There was
no ostentation, no show off and even without a necktie he looked graceful. I
wonder if our leaders too, once a while, represent Pakistani culture by way of wearing
the national dress and look as a typical Pakistan as we see around in Pakistan.
Let us talk on the vital issues which
the interim Prime minister picked up in New York and the way he robustly
presented Pakistan’s’ outlook and policies on those issues. He was not
apprehensive that by resolutely presenting Pakistan’s stance, there would be negative
reaction from hostile countries. He was straightforward and point blank on
regional and international issues that somehow concern Pakistan by way of
nationalism, religion or sovereignty of our country.
The principal difference between
the erstwhile PM of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is that
the former was not vocal or outspoken, was shy and lacked confidence in dishing
out his thoughts and perceptions to his interlocutors. He lacked the art of
articulation in English. That deficiency was apparent in Sharif’s meeting with
the former president of United State Barack Obama. In that meeting, he didn’t
seem to be speaking a single sentence and was holding a piece of paper to be
read out in front of president Obama. That display was rather shameful and nauseating.
The issues that prime minister Abbasi
raised and highlighted in his address at the 72nd session of the
United Nations General Assembly, are of vital importance to Pakistan. It was
utterly necessary to clearly lay-out Pakistan’s perceptions and outlook on
those interstate or regional issues.
For instance, in regard
to the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan he “urged the United Nations
to appoint a special envoy to Kashmir, as the struggle of the people in the
region is being "brutally suppressed" by India. Prime Minister Abbasi
accused India of indulging in terror activities against Pakistan and warned of
a "matching response" in case India ventures across the LoC (Line of
Control)" or acts upon its doctrine of “limited war” against Pakistan.
Mian Nawaz Sharif was reticent on
expressing the national outlook of Pakistan and raising the finger at India. He
had a policy of pacification towards India which emboldened that neighboring
country to perpetrate diabolic atrocities in the Indian part of Kashmir where an
unremitting anti-India outrage is going on. India has been presently silencing and
suppressing the Kashmiris to be allowed to express their opinion via a
plebiscite either to remain with India or with Pakistan.
Abbasi conveyed to the world
community that while Pakistan has hugely suffered in all manners, because of its
involvement in Afghanistan war on the side of United States in fighting against
the dissidents both Islamic and otherwise, it is unjustifiably being blamed by
the new American president Trump for the continuing chaos and renewal of
anti-Afghans rebel fighters including Taliban and Al-Qaida etc. He dubbed president
Trump for his uncalled allegation that Pakistan was harboring the militants to
fight in Afghanistan against the government there and the American troops.
In this regard, he presented
figures detailing that since the war on terror beginning from September 11,
2001 onwards, 27000 Pakistani soldiers and civilians lost their lives. Abbasi argued
that further military efforts and fighting to end the Afghanistan’s persistent
crisis would be futile. He suggested that the best way-out of this quagmire was
a political solution and not a military onslaught.
While rejecting president Trump
denunciation of Pakistan as a state harboring terrorist, Abbasi categorically decried
this insinuation.at the same time Abbasi announced not to fight for others
anymore all the more when Pakistan was being tipped as a “scapegoat” for failure
of American and her allies’ over two decades long military adventure in Afghanistan:
first against the Soviet Union (1979-1989) and later against Al-Qaeda other
religious warier bands (2001-2016).
He emphasized that despite Pakistan’s
historic role in Afghanistan to help American and coalition forces, Pakistan
was being blamed for a stalemate in Afghanistan and a kind of scapegoat. It was
not only a travesty of the truth but passing on a false blame on a trusted
ally. As such Pakistan was not going to be involved in that fruitless fratricidal
military campaign anymore or to fight wars for others.
Pakistan’s prime minister took a
very hard and factual stand about India. He particularly mentioned the Indian
brutalities in the occupied Kashmir as well as persistent human right violations
there. Besides he pointed out the military
violations by India on the line of control between India and Pakistan. Referring
to India’s “limited military option”
against Pakistan, he said that Pakistan was ready to give a befitting response
to such a military adventure.
Emphasizing the right of self-determination
to be exercised by Kashmiris in the light of the United Nations’ Resolution,
prime minister Abbasi called upon the world community for its implementation. Reiterating
Pakistan’s commitment to the charter of the United Nations he assured the world
body that Pakistan stood for international peace, strengthening democratic
culture and fighting such issues as environmental degradation etc.
He took up the case of the ethnic cleansing
of the Rohinghia Muslims by the Burmese government and called upon the
international community to join hand for end to the spate of brutality against
a defenseless and peaceful community.
All these statements demonstrated
Pakistan’s new role as a country not be cowed down by the world powers such as
United States under president Trump who put blame on Pakistan for American debacle
in Afghanistan.
Prime minister Abbasi was outspoken,
candid and versatile in his meetings on the sidelines or where he was invited
as the chief guest. At the session arranged by Council on Foreign Relations a
prestigious American think tank, Abbasi answered the questions in a scholarly
and
confident manner. It was for the
first time in such a prestigious and high profile intellectual atmosphere that
he eloquently spoke on behalf of Pakistan and spelt-out national perceptions on
the questions asked by the participants.
Though a symbolic public relation exercise,
his meeting with Mike Pence the vice president of United States went quite well
and had been positive in regards to harmonizing relations between the two
longtime allies both in war and peace.
Since prime minister Abbasi was
educated in the United States, he did not feel any difficulty or inhibition in
socially harmonizing himself in United States. He holds a Master's degree from
George Washington University USA, and a bachelor degree in the same discipline
from University of California. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has a
29-year experience of mainstream politics and is a foreign-qualified Electrical
Engineer.
There
seems to be a redeeming feature of the change of the prime ministers in
Pakistan. Mian
Nawaz
Sharif wouldn’t have the necessary clout, knowledge, confidence and aptitude of
candid
expression in English to achieve
what Khaqan Abbasi has been able to convey and excel. On the whole, it could be
adjudged that this visit of the substitute prime minister on the whole was
successful.
The writer is a senior journalist, former editor of Diplomatic Times
and a former diplomat. This and other articles by the writer can also be read
at his blog www.uprightopinion.com
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